1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of computer systems and, more particularly, to communication between domains in a computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computer systems may include many clients, such as microprocessors or device controllers, that perform many functions. These clients may share resources in the computer system and a group of clients may be connected to a resource over the same physical link. The clients or a central arbitrator may arbitrate transactions on the physical link to allow each client to communicate with a resource in turn.
Depending on the needs of a computer system, clients may be grouped together to operate as a domain. Generally speaking, a domain may comprise a group of clients that are configured to operate as if they were a single system. A client within a domain may communicate with other clients in its domain by conveying transactions to and receiving transactions from the other clients. These transactions may be conveyed on the same physical links as those from other clients that may belong to other domains.
At times, a client in a first domain may generate a failing transaction and may convey the failing transaction along a physical link that is shared with a client or clients in a second domain. Since the clients in the second domain are connected to the physical link, they may receive the failing transaction from the client in the first domain and may become corrupted. Once the clients in the second domain become corrupted, they could potentially corrupt clients in other domains such that the failing transaction propagates through the system and causes the system to crash. It would be desirable to keep a failing transaction in one domain from corrupting other domains. Accordingly, a system and apparatus for preventing a failing transaction from one domain from corrupting another domain is needed.